State and council keen to minimise local flood problems

Peter GardinerWhat is in The Spray that Peter Gardiner uses so liberally on the sporting shonks and shysters every Thursday? Pete rants at all the sporting injustices at this world…like why can’t Darren Lockyer go back to playing fullback and why the hell did they put Eddie McGuire in charge of everything?

Popular Stories

Local Real Estate

Cars For Sale

EXTRA stream and rain gauges will be installed at Kin Kin Creek, Pomona and the Mary River as part of the State Government's $310,000 flood response allocation for the Sunshine Coast announced this week.

The Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program-Flood Response will also fund hazard maps for the region.

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said it was vital that work got under way as soon as possible to "help council prepare for flooding and warn the community ahead of time."

"The data will be sent to the Bureau of Meteorology and posted online as part of the rainfall and river information for Coochin Creek and the Mooloola, Maroochy, Noosa and Mary Rivers," Mr Crisafulli said.

"In a state like Queensland, no one can afford to be complacent about preventing damage from natural disasters. It's not a matter of if there's the next big flood; it's a matter of being prepared when it happens."

Noosa Division 12 councillor Tony Wellington said flooding in areas such as Tewantin, Cooroy and Pomona was a product of extreme events.

"Last February, Cooroy experienced the highest rainfall ever recorded on the Sunshine Coast," he said.

"Some of the flooding was exacerbated by blockages in creeks and waterways, particularly on State Government-controlled land."

"Council is currently working with State Government agencies to identify ways of dealing with these problems and to establish future maintenance programs for high-risk areas.

"Already an agreement has been pioneered allowing council to remove debris from a creek in the national park downstream from Daintree Estate, Tewantin.

"In some cases, council crews conducted emergency works in the immediate aftermath of the flooding on property that isn't under the control of council, to remove debris and obstructions."

Cr Wellington said these areas included State Government- controlled land such as main road reserves, creeks, state forest and rail reserves.

"Part of the ongoing work of council's Flood Review Panel is to clarify council's responsibility for routine maintenance of such areas and potentially reduce the need for lengthy permit negotiations in the future."

Sunshine Coast Council to date has spent $718,000 on remedial and improvement works.